3 PBKS players who could be released after Hardik Pandya's arrival

Punjab Kings confirmed one of the biggest moves of the IPL 2027 trade window when the BCCI officially ratified the swap involving Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh between Mumbai Indians and PBKS. Hardik joins the Shreyas Iyer-led side at a revised fee of ₹18 crore, making him the first cricketer in the IPL 2027 trade window to receive a salary hike.

The trade is expected to bring considerable changes in terms of all-rounders and fast bowlers at PBKS. With the retention and release deadline set for November 17, and the mini-auction scheduled for December 16, 2026, the franchise must now decide which players no longer fit their revised squad needs.

Here are 3 player PBKS might release after Hardik Pandya's arrival:

1. Musheer Khan

Musheer Khan is among the players who could find himself on the wrong side of the retention deadline at Punjab Kings. Hardik Pandya's arrival adds a high-profile batting all-rounder to the PBKS middle order, which could reduce the available slots for younger Indian batters in the same mould.

PBKS already have a settled core of likely retentions including Shreyas Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera, leaving limited room for fringe Indian batting options. With the squad ceiling at 25 players and the purse standing at just INR 3.50 crore after the IPL 2026 auction, PBKS have strong financial reasons to trim carefully before the mini-auction.

2. Mitchell Owen

Mitchell Owen is another overseas player whose place at PBKS could come under scrutiny following the trade. PBKS carried eight overseas players in their IPL 2026 squad of 25, and Hardik Pandya's inclusion as a traded overseas-equivalent asset adds further pressure on that overseas quota.

The franchise's likely retentions already include Marco Jansen, the South African international, as a key overseas seam-bowling all-rounder, which narrows the available overseas berths. Owen's position in the pecking order becomes harder to justify when the squad already features multiple all-round options across both Indian and overseas categories.

3. Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis is the most directly flagged potential release at Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2027. Sources have specifically described his future at the franchise as something to watch closely following Hardik Pandya's arrival. Stoinis occupies an overseas all-rounder slot, the same profile that Hardik now fills for PBKS.

With Marco Jansen also retained as an overseas seam-bowling all-rounder, the franchise would be carrying significant overlap if Stoinis remains. The financial constraints, with only ₹3.50 crore left in the purse, give PBKS added reason to release him and free up an overseas slot for the December 16 mini-auction.